Message text written by "David Cripps"
>Just reading your correspondence about compasses. I've heard positive
things about these fluxgate compasses but haven't seen one before. What
sort of display do they have? Are they expensive? Where do they come
from?<
At present the display consists of a digital readout of heading to the
nearest 5 degrees (accurate enough for most of us) and the 8 points of the
compass (ie. N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW). Beware some of the cheaper
varieties only display the points of the compass. I bought mine through a
UK mail order company (one of those that sells all the things you never
need) at 50 and road tested it in my car for a year before mounting it in
my Europa. Provided you use the calibration routine whenever you relocate
it (which couldn't be easier) the accuracy is surprisingly good. The
accuracy is reduced significantly if the fluxgate is not upright (ie. in a
turn) but it is not going to be any worse than a conventional compass in
that respect. A/C Spruce sell one at $120 which is rather expensive. I am
sure they are readily available at about the 50 mark if you look around.
>I have a standard ball compass hanging down from the top of the windscreen
but it is hard to read due to offset, and it falls off occasionally when
the
double sided sticky foam holding it in place gets too hot from the sun and
lets go! I'd love to find something better as a primary heading indicator
(I have no DI either). Can you use the fluxgate as a primary indicator to
the satisfaction of the PFA, or do you still have to have the ball type in
case?<
I have not checked with the PFA yet. I suspect that their main concern may
be the reliance on electricity. However as long as there is more than one
compass and there is electrical backup (ie internal batteries) I would
think it should be acceptable. I am hoping that some company will produce a
fluxgate compass with an LCD card display (similar to a DI) with a remote
fluxgate for sensing. In the meantime a fluxgate with a DI seems to be the
best compromise.
Regards
Nigel Charles
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